Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami summoned by Mumbai Police, asked to furnish ‘bond for good behaviour’

Alleging that the communally-provocative remarks were made by him during the coverage of Palghar lynching case and Bandra migrants incident, the Mumbai police has issued a show-cause notice to Republic TV's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, legal news website LiveLaw.in has reported.

The notice has been issued by Sudhir Jambavdekar, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Worli division), exercising the powers of Executive Magistrate under Section 108 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Code.

Under Section 108 CrPC, an executive magistrate can demand "security for good behaviour" from a person who is suspected of acts like the publication of materials affecting communal harmony.

He has been asked to appear before the Special Executive Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Worli Division on Friday at 4 pm.

The notice has asked Goswami to show reasons for not directing him to furnish a bond of Rs 10 lakh for the duration of one year with one guarantor "who is well-known in society and who can control his behaviour".

The notice cites certain statements said to have been made by Goswami during his show "Puchhta Hain Bharat" on Republic Bharat.

It is stated that Goswami had asked whether it was a crime to be Hindu and wear saffron clothes and whether people would have remained silent had the victims not been Hindus.

His comments could create communal disharmony and hatred between Hindus and Muslims, and the show evoked strong reactions on YouTube, the notice said.

The notice also mentioned that before the Palghar incident, Arnab Goswami had allegedly made provocative comments about a crowd of migrant labourers that had gathered outside the Bandra Railway Station in Mumbai during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Earlier, the Mumbai police had registered an FIR against Goswami under Section 153A & 153B IPC alleging that he had communalized the Palghar and Bandra incidents. The Bombay High Court stayed the investigation after observing that the offences were not prima facie attracted.

The Mumbai police recently also launched a probe against Republic TV and two other channels for allegedly manipulating the Television Rating Points.